Jasper in running for $2M grant for downtown preservation and revitalization

Jasper is in the running to receive a $2 million grant as part of the PreservINg Main Street pilot program.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced Jasper — through the downtown revitalization organization Heart of Jasper — was one of the five community finalists with Attica, Brookville and Cambridge City and the cities of Kendallville.

One pilot community will be selected and awarded a $2 million grant for implementation funds of downtown preservation projects and operational expenses through OCRA’s Community Development Block Grant program. The pilot program also includes multiple capacity and leadership-building opportunities through a partnership with Main Street America, Indiana Humanities, and Indiana Landmarks.

If awarded the grant, Heart of Jasper will use the funding to continue the facade improvement program it began this year as well as funding for historical preservation in the downtown area.

Jasper will receive an in-person site visit from the selection team this August.

“Heart of Jasper and the City’s next step is to determine the scope of the project that we want to showcase on August 19 during our site visit,” said Heart of Jasper Director Kate Schwenk.

She added this could include highlighting the recent facade improvements on North Main Street that were completed through the organization’s matching fund facade improvement program as well as the Downtown Revitalization planning currently underway with the City of Jasper.

“We just need to determine what part of our projects will qualify for use of the grant dollars,” she said.

The selected pilot community will be announced on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021.

“This is a great opportunity for the Heart of Jasper to continue their great work in the downtown area,” Mayor Dean Vonderheide stated. “Through their aggressiveness in influencing the development of this area of our city in the past year, they have positioned Heart of Jasper well to qualify as a finalist for this highly competitive grant. “